[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 1, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15453-15454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8374]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. 74-14; Notice 115]


Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash Protection

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Extension of comment period for a request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This document extends the comment period on a request for 
comments concerning a petition from U.S. Senator Dirk Kempthorne to 
amend the agency's automatic occupant protection standard. The standard 
includes provisions specifying the use of unbelted as well as belted 
dummies in testing air bag-equipped vehicles. The petition asks that 
the agency impose a moratorium on testing with unbelted dummies. In its 
request for comments, the agency sought public comments on the benefits 
and disbenefits of eliminating the unbelted test. In response to a 
petition from the Association of International Automobile 
Manufacturers, Inc., the agency is extending the comment period from 
March 31, 1997 to June 2, 1997.

DATES: Comments on Docket 74-14, Notice 113 must be received by June 2, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to Docket 74-14, Notice 113 and be 
submitted to: Docket Section, Room 5109, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. 
(Docket Room hours are: 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about air bags and 
related rulemakings: Visit the NHTSA web site at http://
www.nhtsa.dot.gov and select AIR BAGS: Information about air bags.
    For non-legal issues: Clarke Harper, Chief, Light Duty Vehicle 
Division, NPS-11, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2264. 
Fax: (202) 366-4329.
    For legal issues: J. Edward Glancy, Office of Chief Counsel, NCC-
20, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2992. Fax: (202) 366-
3820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 27, 1997, NHTSA published in the 
Federal Register (62 FR 8917) a request for comments concerning a 
petition from U.S. Senator Dirk Kempthorne. The petitioner requested 
the agency to amend Standard No. 208, Occupant Crash Protection, to 
impose a moratorium on testing with unbelted dummies. The petition was 
submitted in response to the deaths of young children and of drivers, 
primarily short-statured women, as a result of air bag deployments in 
low speed crashes. The petitioner believes that the necessity of 
meeting the unbelted test requirement is adversely affecting current 
air bag designs and causing these deaths. The petitioner also believes 
that the requirement is preventing vehicle manufacturers from 
optimizing air bag designs for belted occupants.
    The agency noted in the request for comments that it has concluded 
that section 2508 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency 
Act of 1991 precludes it from eliminating the unbelted test 
requirement. However, since the agency is interested in all potential 
solutions to the air bag deaths and since the agency can recommend 
legislative changes to Congress, the agency sought public comment on 
the benefits and disbenefits of eliminating the unbelted test. The 
agency provided a 30-day comment period.
    On March 19, 1997, the Association of International Automobile 
Manufacturers, Inc. (AIAM) petitioned for an extension in the comment 
period. AIAM noted that it has stated a preference for eliminating the 
unbelted dummy test, but stated that it cannot generate a thorough and 
quantitative response in the time allotted. AIAM stated that it 
believes the questions raised in the request for comments should be 
addressed thoroughly because they are fundamental to the long-term 
direction of occupant protection and related regulatory requirements.

[[Page 15454]]

    On March 27, 1997, the American Automobile Manufacturers 
Association submitted a letter stating that it believes that sufficient 
time should be provided to all interested parties to respond to the 
request for comments. That organization stated that it therefore 
supports the request for additional time requested by AIAM.
    After considering the arguments raised by AIAM, NHTSA has decided 
that it is in the public interest to grant that petitioner's request. 
The agency notes that it has selected the date of June 2, 1997 as the 
comment closing date since the requested date, May 31, falls on a 
Saturday.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

    Issued on March 28, 1997.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 97-8374 Filed 3-28-97; 12:39 pm]
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